Oaks still a possibility for Funstar, Probabeel
Chris Waller may still head towards the G1 Australian Oaks with Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}) despite her defeat in Saturday's G1 Vinery Stud S.
The G1 Flight S. winner was an odds-on favourite for Saturday's race but could not run down Shout The Bar (Not A Single Doubt), and finished out of the placings in fourth.
Funstar
Speaking to Racenet, trainer Chris Waller said the filly had pulled up well and would prosper from a more conservative ride should she contest the Oaks on April 11.
"Funstar was just a touch disappointing in the result, but not so much in the way the horse ran," Waller said.
"She was three-wide from a long way out and that just told over the concluding stages of 2000 metres, I think she has just got a bit too much brilliance, keeping in mind she has won races over a lot shorter.
"We will have a think about the Oaks, at this stage we are still running. But we will definitely ride her a lot quieter if we did, get her to switch off with cover."
Funstar will likely meet her great rival Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel), who finished second, again in the Oaks, with trainer Jamie Richards leaning to continuing her campaign.
“I’ll speak with Dad about how she has come through the race before we make a decision on our next move,” he said.
“The early reports are she has pulled up well and if she comes through this one like she has previously then we will be heading to the Oaks."
Sunlight campaign still on track
Co-trainer Calvin McEvoy has confirmed star mare Sunlight (Zoustar) remains on track for her racetrack return in the G3 Irwin S. at Morphettville on April 18.
The triple Group 1 winner won a trial at Strathalbyn last week but did slip during the race.
“She just slipped at the start, but she pulled up well and has been doing really well since,” McEvoy told Racing.com.
“She will trial again on April 9 before heading to the Irwin S. on April 18.”
McEvoy confirmed Sisstar, the sister to Sunlight, will be sent for a spell after finishing fifth on Saturday.
J-Mac on Japanese star
James McDonald will take the ride on Japanese import Danon Premium (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in Saturday week's G1 Queen Elizabeth S.
McDonald, who rode four winners at Rosehill on Saturday, has snared the prize ride on the highly rated 5-year-old, who is trained by Mitsumasa Nakauchida and is equal favourite for the race.
He arrived earlier this month and has settled in well in quarantine at Canterbury.
Danon Premium was runner-up at Group 1 level in Japan his past two starts, including to Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) in October. He also boasts a win over subsequent G1 Cox Plate winner Lys Gracieux (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}).
Busuttin faith in Larimer Street
The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Larimer Street (Brazen Beau) will be looking to give the stable another Group 1 2-year-old success in the Inglis Sires' at Randwick next Saturday.
Busuttin and Young tasted victory in the G1 Blue Diamond S. with Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa {Ire}) last month and last start Listed winner Larimer Street is poised to repeat the dose according to Busuttin.
“It’s obviously a step up for him, but the Slipper winner isn’t going there so I think he’ll be hard to beat," he told Racing.com
“Glen Boss is booked to take the ride and he’ll relish the step up to 1400 metres.”
Larimer Street
Legacy plan for Positive Peace
A shot at the G1 Coolmore Legacy is on the agenda for Positive Peace (Stratum) after the Bjorn Baker-trained mare's impressive victory in the G2 Emancipation S. on Saturday.
Baker was rapt with the win and feels he has Positive Peace at her peak at the right time of year.
"I always thought she had talent although she ran last at her first two starts and near enough to last at her third run,” Baker said.
“She just wasn’t strong enough to finish off her races so I knew when she matured a little more she would come right and I think since then she has only been out of the money three times in fifteen starts, winning eight of them.
“She is just doing everything right now. She is eating well and is just in the zone.
“It was a super win on Saturday and the way she did it means we have to take a serious look at the Coolmore Legacy S. in a fortnight with her.”
Above romps in at Sha Tin
Tavistock (NZ) 4-year-old Above (NZ) registered an impressive 6l win in a Class 4 race at Sha Tin on Sunday.
The John Moore-trained Above claimed his third win from 18 starts in emphatic fashion for jockey Joao Moreira over the 2000 metres.
He was a pinhook for Ampulla Lodge, who sold him to George Moore for $240,000 at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale in 2017. They had paid NZ$180,000 for him from the New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale a year earlier.
New date set for US doping accused
The federal judge in charge of the alleged racehorse doping case involving trainers Jorge Navarro, Jason Servis, and 18 other defendants has set April 2 as the new arraignment date.
Court closures related to COVID-19 have already caused two postponements of the arraignment since March 23. In an effort to avoid another delay, the judge has ordered this Thursday’s arraignment to be conducted via conference call.
United States District Court (Southern District of New York) Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil also wrote in the March 27 order that the missed time between the original arraignment date and the new one won’t count in the defendants’ favour under the Speedy Trial Act.
